ian1964 10,409 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 The Old Firm matches may no longer decide the title, but winning them certainly won't do either side any harm. The inconsistent form of Rangers and Celtic this season, and the ease with which the lesser lights in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League have pinched points from both, mean Sunday's high-noon duel between the Glasgow rivals will, in all likelihood, not prove decisive. And yet, there are benefits to be obtained from victory this weekend that stretch beyond mere bragging rights and adding another three points to the total. Recent history tells us as much. Rangers went to Celtic Park four years ago, just as they do this weekend, looking to get their noses in front in a championship chase that threatened to go to the wire. They travelled in hope rather than expectation having failed to win in the East End for five years, but found in Gregory Vignal an unlikely hero. The Frenchman, on a season-long loan from Liverpool, gave Rangers a second-half lead after a glaring error by Rab Douglas, before Nacho Novo confirmed the victory with a second late in the game. advertisement It took a final-day loss by Celtic at Fir Park for Rangers to ultimately win the title in the most extraordinary of circumstances, but it was that Old Firm win that imbued them with the confidence that they could go on to sustain a serious challenge for the championship. "After the game we went top of the league and then everything was open," Vignal told The Herald. "It made us more confident that maybe we could do something because we had not won there for so long. It was very close all the way that season, but everybody in our dressing room knew when we won away from home against Celtic that we had everything we needed to be champions. "It gave us a big lift. Not just because we went to the top of the table but because if you can beat Celtic in their stadium, then you feel you can beat everybody else. "We believed we could win every week and could be champions. Of course, it was not that easy and we lost games we should not have, but in the end we became champions on the last day. Big Marvin Andrews used to always say, Keep believing' and he was right." Vignal's wandering career has seen him make stops at Montpellier, Liverpool, Rennes, Espanyol, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Lens - where he is currently stationed - but it is his time in Glasgow, and the Old Firm match in particular, that he recalls most fondly. "These games are so important for both teams, for the city, for the fans, and for the players, too. It's not just about the match, but what it means to everyone going forward. I still talk about the Old Firm game with my mates here in France, as it was unbelievable. Liverpool versus Everton is a big derby but Rangers versus Celtic is even bigger. The stadiums are bigger and the atmosphere is better. It was an incredible experience to play in these games." Rangers were keen to secure Vignal's services on a permanent basis once his loan deal had expired but the player elected instead to sign for Portsmouth. It is a decision he still regrets four years on. "It was a big mistake for me to leave Glasgow Rangers. When you play for a British team, the spirit and passion is unbelievable and I would love to come back again and play in Scotland or England one day. "I should have stayed. I spoke with Alex McLeish and the chairman about coming back to play in the Champions League in season 2005/06 because I really enjoyed working with McLeish, the chairman, and Martin Bain Rangers' chief executive. If the Rangers chairman wants to call me and bring me back to Ibrox that would be amazing." Before then, however, the 27 year-old Vignal has some unfinished business to attend to, namely helping Lens back into the top flight of French football. "We are top of Ligue 2 so it's going well. When I came back, I told the chairman I would stay to help them get promoted back to Ligue 1 and when you say something like that you have to keep your promise. "I have one more year on my contract with Lens and if the chairman says I can go, I will try to come back to England - or maybe Rangers - this summer or the one after. I spoke to Newcastle and Middlesbrough in the transfer window and was very close to coming back, but I made my promise to Lens, so for now I will stay. But one day I hope I will be back." http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2488906.0.Vignal_away_victory_can_inspire_Rangers_to_title.php 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_2010 0 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Big Marvin Andrews used to always say, Keep believing' and he was right 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCF2008 0 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 "I have one more year on my contract with Lens and if the chairman says I can go, I will try to come back to England - or maybe Rangers - this summer or the one after." He did a good job for us during his loan spell and I have to admit that I was disappointed when we didn't manage to keep him on. However, I don't think he would offer much more than what we've currently got on the left and looking at his career since leaving - 52 appearances in 3 and a half seasons, including 2 loan spells (he isn't even good enough to be a 1st team regular for a Ligue 2 side) - I can't see any reason why we'd want him back. Like he says, he shouldn't have left. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Cole 0 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Who can forget his goal at Parkhead and the look on his face - I thought he was going to burst into tears. Also remember him scoring a valuable double in a 3-2 win at Fir Park near the end of that season. I liked Vignal, had a good temperament and was a handy player in what has often been a problem position for us. He'd have made that place his own in 2005/06 instead of us having to bring in the utterly hopeless Bernard, however for Vignal's sake it was probably best he got out before that disastrous season. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineflyer 0 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I liked Vignal too when he played for us but you do get a bit jaundiced by the endless stream of ex-players getting media exposure by saying they wish they'd never left when they did. If they enjoy it so much why do they always leave. But they do and they always will. Are we expected to be impressd by these platitudes? Fair enough if they leave but save us the guff. I much prefer the story about the guy who came to Rangers and stayed. Stuart McCall, Richard Gough, Ally McCoist, Ian Ferguson, Andy Goram, John Greig. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,329 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I liked Vignal too when he played for us but you do get a bit jaundiced by the endless stream of ex-players getting media exposure by saying they wish they'd never left when they did. If they enjoy it so much why do they always leave. But they do and they always will. Are we expected to be impressd by these platitudes? Fair enough if they leave but save us the guff. I much prefer the story about the guy who came to Rangers and stayed. Stuart McCall, Richard Gough, Ally McCoist, Ian Ferguson, Andy Goram, John Greig. Or left and came back? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurlock 0 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 He wasn't brilliant, infact not very good at defending, better going forward. Not quite what a left back should provide but........... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Spliff 0 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Vignal - another one who was OK, some good aspects to his game but overall rated in the "no great loss' category (by me anyway) 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineflyer 0 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Or left and came back? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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